


In Measures

by Artemis1000



Series: Cassian Appreciation Week 2018 [3]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Character Study, M/M, Morning After, Relationship Study, Robot/Human Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-15 01:58:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15402450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis1000/pseuds/Artemis1000
Summary: It's their first morning after and Cassian finds himself strangely at peace.





	In Measures

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day 5 "Favorite Relationship" of [Cassian Appreciation Week](https://thefulcrumcaptain.tumblr.com/)

He awakens to heat and the quiet, content hum of droid cooling systems.

There is no disorientation, no confusion, no doubt. Just a quiet, glorious sense of ~~purpose~~ rightness.

“Your sleeping patterns remain irregular.”

Cassian opens his eyes. Kay’s optics are bright and fixed on him. He scratches at his stubbly cheek, where he can feel the imprint of Kay’s chest panel; this and many other aches are the price he has paid for falling asleep on top of his droid lover. KX droids are not built to be a comfortable mattress.

“Maybe you should keep a closer eye on them then,” Cassian murmurs.

“I would like that.”

He stretches and Kay places a large hand low on his back, right where the small of his back meets the curve of his ass. Cassian’s eyes go half-lidded. “Or a hand…”

Kay’s hand slides a little lower and Cassian inhales in a sharp hiss, sucking in air between his teeth before he bites down on his bottom lip to stifle any further traitorous noises. “Or you could…”

The beeping of his comm steals every plea he might have uttered. There is a mad scramble as he searches for it, then nerves settling again when it turns out to be nothing but a notification for a rescheduled briefing.

All the same, he pulls away with a sigh of regret. “Time to get to work.”

He studies Kay as he gathers his clothes. Starts to list first the day’s tasks and then possible strategies for their next mission, only to have them shot down. This continues during the sonic shower he enjoys with K-2 just outside the shower stall and shooting down his every suggestion how to infiltrate with increasingly scathing commentary.

Slowly, whatever part of him that had remained braced for the other shoe to drop relaxes. His previous assessments have been right. They are okay. This is okay. It’s a new side to their relationship but it doesn’t change their fundamental dynamics. What they share won’t make him inefficient or weaken his dedication to the rebellion, this is nothing he needs to deny himself for the greater good.

By the time Cassian steps out of the shower, they have tentatively settled on a plan which K-2 deems to be _not completely without chance of success_. That is glowing praise, coming from him.

K-2 keeps hovering and watching him as he trims his beard, never close enough to be stifling but a solid presence. Cassian tries not to feel flustered by his intense curiosity, or the realization that his parameters have expanded exponentially for which data on Cassian he considers relevant.

He decides that he feels a little discomfited by the newness, yet not unpleasantly so. It’s the novelty that trips him up, not K-2’s closeness itself. This new intimacy between them fits like a new pair of uniform boots – they pinch a little bit but he knows they are a good fit and will be comfortable once he has worn them in.

…maybe he shouldn’t tell K-2 that he has compared him to a pair of boots.

“Is your mirror image amusing you, Cassian?” K-2 inquires and gets closer to tower over him.

“No,” he says, lips pinched to stifle a traitorous tiny grin. “I’m just in a good mood this morning.”

“Your mood would improve further with well-chosen nutrition.”

“Mhmm.” He puts down the comb and brushes past K-2. “But I’m still not reducing my caf intake. Don’t get your hopes up.”

They keep up the familiar, well-worn banter on whether caffeine can take the place of a nutritious meal all the way to the mess hall.

There is an unspoken agreement to keep the distance they have always kept in public, to carefully measure the familiarity they display.

Cassian feels himself relax further.

He isn’t ready to face the scrutiny of others, to deal with questions to which he hasn’t found the answers yet. He will, eventually, but even then he might wish to keep this one thing to himself. That’s a decision for later, one which they will be making together.

Today, the cautious tenderness between them is too new, he feels too protective of this thing between them and feels too exposed.

So they argue good-naturedly about nutrients and the food pyramid and then swivel back to discussing the upcoming mission.

Cassian’s priorities have adjusted, too. He feels a secret thrill as he uses a spy’s perceptiveness to check off all these tiny tells that will give away K-2’s mood even on the rare occasion he tries to hide his true feelings. He can’t lie but he can pretend to be unbothered when he is anything but, he had been doing a lot of that while they were both uncertain of the other’s feelings. With satisfaction and relief, he notes that K-2SO is happy.

Cassian pauses with the caf cup at his lips, chagrined when he realizes that he had needed to double-check at all. That he had, even if only deep down, even if only for a moment, doubted that being with him would make K-2 happier than not.

“Cassian?”

“I’m fine.” He drains his cup and stands up. “Let’s go. General Draven doesn’t like to wait.”

K-2 looks content and Cassian knows he is.

They will figure out the rest but for now, that is enough.

 

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] In Measures](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17201405) by [Artemis1000](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis1000/pseuds/Artemis1000), [reena_jenkins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reena_jenkins/pseuds/reena_jenkins)




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